Seafood Catfish Soup

catfish soup
(from The Virginia House-wife, by Mary Randolph, 1825)

"An excellent dish for those who have not imbibed a needless prejudice against those delicious fish."

Ingredients:

2 large or 4 small white catfish that have been caught in deep water​

1 pound of lean bacon​

1 large onion cut up​

1 handful of parsley chopped small​

pepper​

salt​

yolks of 4 fresh eggs​

1 large spoonful of butter​

2 large spoonfuls of flour​

1/2 pint of rich milk​

Instructions:

Take the catfish, cut off the heads, and skin and clean the bodies; cut each in three parts, put them in a pot, with the bacon, onion, parsley, some pepper and salt, pour in a sufficient quantity of water, and stew them till the fish are quite tender but not broken; beat the yelks, add to them the butter, flour, and milk; make all these warm and thicken the soup, take out the bacon, and put some of the fish in your tureen, pour in the soup, and serve it up.​

In honor of August being Catfish Month, here is an authentic recipe for Catfish Soup! Hope you try this! Thanks!

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

Interesting recipe, but I think I'll stick with good old fried catfish with some hushpuppies.

 

[Legion Para]

This is a typical hearty fish soup. Thanks for posting the recipe Albert. I enjoy these period recipes.

 

[Allie]

This sounds like a quick and simple way of making a delicious meal from cheap frozen fish. I think I'll try it. I really appreciate the period recipes!

 

[donna]

Thanks for posting.

 

[Blessmag]

Never heard of white catfish.

 

[nitrofd]

I have never heard of catfish soup either,I think I'll stick with having my catfish served "blackened".

 

[Blessmag]

I have never heard of catfish soup either,I think I'll stick with having my catfish served "blackened".

Not fried? Thought all southern food was fried! Except grits and you can fry those as well.

 

[nitrofd]

Not fried? Thought all southern food was fried! Except grits and you can fry those as well.

Fried is of course the rule but I like mine spicy.learned that a long time ago at K-Paul's Kitchen in New Orleans.they make the best red fish by the way.

 

[donna]

Thought bump for National Catfish Day, June 25.

 

[KianGaf]

I've never tried Catfish. Does it have a strong or mellow flavour?

 

[donna]

I think a mellow flavor. My Granddad fixed the best. I have his recipe on here.

 

[chitoryu12]

Yeah, catfish is generally pretty mellow. Fried catfish is very common anywhere they roam, especially the South.

 

[dgfred]

I guess egg 'yelk' is the yolk?

 

[donna]

It is the yolk.